Former Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian responded on Facebook to current Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan’s remarks defending the decision to allocate 74% of TRIPP to the United States, referring to past asset transfers under the “Debt-for-Property” deal. Mirzoyan had noted that during Oskanian’s term, “five enterprises were handed over 100%, not just 74%, to another state.”
Oskanian argued that “placing Armenian territory under the control of another country is not comparable” to transferring ownership of an enterprise.
“I was surprised to see anyone draw a comparison between granting full control over a strip across Armenia’s entire width—from its western to eastern border—for 50 years, and transferring a state or private enterprise to a third party under concession or ownership. These are fundamentally different issues,” Oskanian wrote.
He noted that the width of the concerned area though only 40 kilometers does not diminish the seriousness of the matter, as sovereignty cannot be measured in kilometers.
“Some may think that since that section of Armenia is only about 40 kilometers wide, ceding it is not a serious issue. But that logic is profoundly flawed. Sovereignty is not measured in kilometers.
Let me illustrate more vividly what is happening. Imagine France places a continuous strip of land across its entire width—from the Atlantic coast to the German border—under full control of a third country for 50 years. Or imagine the United States doing the same, from coast to coast, Pacific to Atlantic.
It is clear to all of us that this entire process is aimed at ensuring Azerbaijan’s uninterrupted and unimpeded access to Nakhichevan through Armenian territory. Armenia has already committed to this in previously agreed and signed documents.
I believe that calling it ‘pathetic’ is an understatement,” he wrote.
Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, responding during a National Assembly Q&A to a Civil Contract MP’s question on TRIPP, addressed former FM Vartan Oskanian’s criticism of the U.S. receiving a 74% stake.
“One former foreign minister says it’s pathetic that we gave away 74% and kept only 26%. But during his term, under ‘Debt-for-Property,’ five enterprises were handed over 100% to another state,” Mirzoyan said.
